Bathrooms leaks occur when poor installation procedures commence or inferior or incorrect products are used. HomeWorks Remodeling & Restoration have been in the building industry for years and over this time, we have developed the best possible options to construct a structurally tight and waterproofed bathroom.
Leaks can occur from fixtures, tile and grout installation and general wear and tear. It’s extremely important that after each shower the recess and screen are wiped down with a squeegee, this will prolong the life span of your bathroom by 10 years. Water can be the evil of destruction if not dealt with perfectly. Any wet area that has a deluge of water, for example, the shower recess is the most common area in which damage is likely to occur.
The purpose of the waterproofing membrane is to prevent water from damaging the substructure in effectiveness the grout and tile glue making a loose tile visible. However, there are products on the market the once tile glue becomes in contact with water saturation will not occur therefore, in my opinion, making waterproofing rendered useless.
Here at HomeWorks Remodeling & Restoration, we strive on excellence in bathroom remodeling and finishing.
Shower recess
Shower bases and prefabricated shower bases are the 2 types of bases generally installed within a bathroom. Shower bases should have appropriate bedding material beneath the tile alongside a substantial substructure. If these measures are not installed with form, dimension, and tightness, over time the subfloor could move. It only takes 1 mm of movement to occur therefore creating a hairline fracture in the grout line. This non-visible fracture will eventually open even further, therefore, creating damage to the substructure with water being the obvious culprit.
A prefabricated shower base has similar circumstances however prefabricated bases are one piece, therefore, it will last longer. The Bathroom plumbing P or S trap is another form of a troublesome area if the drainage pipework isn’t aligned correctly during installation. I have known the rubber seals to last up to 30 years as long as the trap nuts are tightened by hand and finished off with footprints or multi grips.
Water pipes in a shower recess can also cause damage.
Pipes under pressure that are leaking are generally diagnosed quite quickly. The main problem being the pipework between the breach or flick mixer and the shower rose. This short length of pipework should be pressure tested before the villa board or aqua check plasterboard is installed. Once the water from pipework begins to leak it will cause all sorts of damage to the framework, sheeting, subfloor, and screening working its way from the inside out. In this instance, there is nothing waterproofing membrane can counteract. The waterproofing membrane is only effective from the surface area in which water penetrates.
It is always a good idea to have a check around the seals that are present in the shower region on a time to time basis since this where at times an undetected leak can turn out to be a serious issue of plumbing and later on cause trouble for you if not repaired on a timely basis. There can be major damage in case the water is said to be leaking constantly and it comes into contact with the floor or the wall that has been surrounding it. In case if one leaves the problem as it is then it may soon turn out to be an expensive kind of plumbing repair work since the bathroom would then need to undergo extensive renovation work forgetting that issue fixed.
In few cases it has been seen that the wooden floorboards, as well as the joists, are said to also be prone to the swelling and gradually they would start to rot which in turn can lead a costlier replacement project work wherein the shower tray or the enclosure would need to be removed completely so that the contractor can start the work right away.
A few of the things the owner has to keep a watch on is the rooting of the floor work and the paintwork which after some time may tend to start coming off due to the moisture in the room. For those who have a vinyl flooring present in the room then it can be more of an issue since the puddles of water can lead to the flooring in becoming curl and it would also deteriorate with time to such an extent wherein it may allow the water to come into contact with whatever there is below it such as wood or any other material.
Always place the shower curtains inside the bathtub section while you are taking a shower to reduce any risks of puddles of water being accumulated on the flooring. Another trouble which one should watch out for is the mold spots present on the silicone as well as the seals since they may tend to indicate that there is the presence of gaps in any of the silicone and there is a need for repairing it.
Also check the condition of the shower doors, the rubber seals and any gaps that are present where the shower tray would meet the flooring. In a few of the cases, there would be a need for sealant. In case if this sealant shows signs of rotting and also tend to have gaps then it is better to scrape it off and apply another lot of it. But before you test the shower or make use of the shower ensure that the sealant becomes completely dry and no longer coming off.
Toilet
Toilet pans and cisterns are mechanical systems that when constantly used can cause wear and tear more quickly than any other fixture in the bathroom. Most leaks from a toilet can become visible quite quickly and washers and seals can be replaced quite easily.
There are numerous pans suites on the market including some state of art designs and basic features. Back to wall pans are the only real problematic toilet suite as if the pan cone rubber or waste pipe rubber was to leak sometimes it is difficult to detect. If a pan suite was to leak it is unlikely that any structure damage would occur as a waterproofing membrane will generally prevent this.
Bath Tub
The shower enclosure leaks should be thoroughly inspected and keep a watch out for any kind of gaps present on the seals or all the bathtub area. At times it may turn out to be difficult to spot out certain kinds of leaks since the water would tend to disperse quite slowly.
The leaks that come from the pipes are very difficult to detect in the first place and the reason is that these pipes are often hidden behind the walls or the paneling of the bathroom. At such times the first impression of any of these leaks would be the stains of water present on the ceiling of the bathroom.
Bathroom flooring
The vinyl flooring is meant to rot quite easily when it is exposed to an excess of water due to which it may often curl from the edges due to the exposure to the constant water. The floors which are tiled can also leak from the cracked tiles or there can be problems with the grouting structure.
Hence you should ensure that such works are carried out by a licensed and well-experienced contractor since any kind of issue in this area would turn out to be major damage for the entire bathroom.
Bath Drain
Leaks that are present around the drains or the plugs are known to be the most common places wherein a leak can then form in the bathroom. Very often it has been seen that the water would leak very slowly such that it would make it quite difficult to get detected in the first instance unless it shows any signs of stains.
The easiest method for testing the leakage of a drain or the bath plug is to plug a hole and then fill the bathtub with a little amount of water. After an hour check it back to see if there has been any change in the level of water wherein it has dropped or stays the same as earlier. If the water level has dropped, then it would become obvious that it is a potential sign of leakage even though it can be that the seal of the plug stopper wasn’t applied properly hence be sure to check that as well.
It would be a lot cheaper than planning of ripping apart the entire bathtub only to find out that there was no damage below. These drain leaks are known to be quite a common thing with plastic or the fiberglass bathtubs. Similar is also true with the case of shower enclosures as well as the shower trays.
The material is said to be much softer than the ceramic one hence it can move a bit as you may maneuver on top of it. This may also at times cause breakage to the seal which is present around the drain or the plug hole wherein it can allow for the water to escape out on to the below region.
Tiling
The tiles are also said to be prone to leak wherein it can also allow for water to escape through the grout or the silicone that has been damaged. Hence it becomes important to time to time inspect the tiling work and any minor problems should be repaired instantly before they turn out to be major issues.
The water that gets escaped would be easily manifested behind the walls or it can also drip down from the wall on to the floor region thereby causing damage to it. These moldy tiles are mostly a sign of warning that there is a presence of gaps in the silicon or the grouting region. Most often gradually the tiles would loosen up or they can fall off.
Leaks from the taps
The leaks which are present around the region of the taps would very often lead to a region that is hidden hence it may get very much difficult to detect the leaks initially. Due to the damage caused to the seals and the silicone around the faucet and the tap which becomes deteriorated would also give a chance for the water to seep through and cause damage to the region below.
On the section of the sinks or the basin it is mostly easier and it would also provide a clear view of what exactly is happening below the sink hence it is said that one can pour excess water around the top portion of the tap and also check the region wherein it would become easier in detecting where the leak is actually located and to get it fixed.
Sink Drains
The sink drains are known to start leaking similarly as the bath drains hence one would need to follow a simple procedure for inspecting it from time to time. The excess water and accumulation of the puddles of water present at the base of the basin present on the floor are said to be quite an obvious sign that there has been a leakage there and it needs urgent attention.
Contact the best contractor to get such inspections carried out and to fix them once detected. Try not to run away from such situations else it can only worsen the matter and cause further damage. Inspections should be done from time to time so that they can also avoid any kind of untoward incidents. Get the job done right in the first instance as well since you would not regret it later. We set up a timeline for your bathroom remodel after assessing the amount of work involved, such as removing former fixtures, tiles, etc., and strictly adhere to it. Financing is available, at your request. Michiana’s Remodeling & Restoration Experts, putting our valued customers’ satisfaction & safety first! Servicing Mishawaka, Goshen, South Bend, Elkhart, Granger, Osceola, Middlebury, Benton Harbor, Constantine, Dowagiac, Berrien Springs, Niles, and Three Rivers. Call us now! We are at your service 24/7!
